The Return of Zeta Magnus
by emperorofmultiverse
Summary: Random idea I had where Zeta Magnus returns during the GCW and about how Vader and Sidious would deal with him.


**The Return Chap. 1**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SW, Disney does.**

**Some Explanation is required for this one, I had this random idea about what if Zeta Magnus returned during the Galactic Civil War as a minor nuisance and how Palpatine would deal with this renegade force and here it is, if you don't know who Zeta Magnus or who he was supposed to be (Atha Prime), go look them up on Wookiepedia. Now on with the show.**

The Star Destroyer_ Tyrant _was patrolling a sector in the Outer Rim as Lord Vader had ordered Death Squadron to split up to patrol the part of Oversector Outer they were in, searching for the Rebellion. Captain Lennox was hoping to find something soon, as he needed to redeem himself in the eyes of Lord Vader, after the fiasco of Hoth, where the _Tyrant_ had got hit by an Ion cannon blast, and Rebel Commandos made off their prisoner, Crix Madine, which he considered himself lucky not to have ended up like Captain Needa, of the _Avenger. _Unfortunately for him at the moment, their sector was all clear, until his executive officer, who was watching the sensor got his attention. "Captain, sir, we found something unusual."

"What is it, Lieutenant Cabbal?" Lennox asked.

"It's a pair of Imperial Destroyers, sir, but I don't think they are reinforcements. They are off our port side, Sir." Cabbal told him.

Lennox turned to the port side window, "I see them." Upon closer inspection, he said, "Lieutenant, come look at this and make sure I haven't started to experience hyperspace madness."

Cabbal walked over to his Captain, and looked as well, "Are those Destroyers connected on top of each other?" he asked.

"Good to know I am not crazy." They soon realized that they must have been spotted, as the communications array beeped.

"Sir, that ship is contacting us." The communications officer said.

"Put it through," Lennox said as he walked over to the console.

The image that appeared on screen, however, was not what he was expecting, instead of someone wearing some kind of uniform, weather that be Imperial or Rebel, or a pirate for that matter, he saw someone that looked like some form of armored sentinel with dark robes over the armor.

"This is Captain Lennox of the Imperial Navy. You will identify yourself and your ship, or you will be fired upon." Lennox commanded this unknown being.

"Who I am is not important, and I call my ship the _Annihilator,_ I have a message for you to give to your leaders, tell them that an old rouge agent is back, tell them that the mad scientist tyrant of Skye has returned." The unknown being said, before cutting transmission.

"Sir, what did he mean by that, an old rouge agent?" Cabbal asked.

"No clue, Lieutenant, but contact Admiral Piett, and I'll tell him what just occurred." Lennox said.

"Yes sir." Cabbal complied, punching in the frequency for the Executor.

_Aboard the Executor_

Admiral Piett stood looking out into space, grateful that Vader wasn't on the bridge at the moment, which allowed him to breath a bit more easily, as he was never sure if every day that he served in Death Squadron would be his last, even if he had the Dark Lord's respect. He turned away from the viewport, toward his communications officer, "Have all ships reported in?"

"All but the _Tyrant_, Sir. All other vessels report all clear." The officer responded. As soon as the officer had finished speaking, the comm beeped, turning back to the console for a minute, "Sir, Captain Lennox wishes to speak with you."

Piett walked over to the communications console, "Go ahead Captain."

"Admiral, while we have no sign of rebels in this sector, we did come across something unusual. Good news is that we found the Destroyers that went missing, odd thing is that we found them connected on top of each other, connected where a ventral hanger would be and where the command tower would be on the other one. In addition, the person who is in charge of the ships said to and I quote: "Inform our leaders that an old rouge agent known as the 'Mad Scientist Tyrant of Skye' has returned." Lennox told him. "Does that make any sense to you, sir?"

"Not at all, but keep your distance, I will inform Lord Vader and then he will decide what to do." Piett said.

"Yes sir, _Tyrant_ out." Lennox ended the call. Piett was left confused as to what exactly he had been told, he didn't doubt what Lennox had reported, he wasn't known for such things. As soon as he managed to understand a bit of it, he headed toward Vader's suite.

Upon entering the Dark Lord's quarters, Piett noticed that the giant sphere that he knew Vader used a lot for something, was opening. Vader sat in his chair turned away from him, and Piett was afraid to speak until Vader turned to face him and asked "What is it, Admiral? Has the fleet found any signs of the Rebellion?"

"No, my lord, however, the _Tyrant _found something odd." Piett told Vader what Lennox told him.

After a long moment of pause, Vader said, "I must discuss this with the Emperor. Go and tell the Fleet to be prepared to make the jump to Lennox's position."

"Yes, my lord," Piett left as Vader rose from his chair. As soon as Piett was gone, Vader dropped to a knee on his holoprojector.

As the Emperor's hologram materialized, Vader said, "Master, I have received some odd news."

"Odd how, Lord Vader?" Sidious asked, and Vader told him what he was told, after which Sidious narrowed his eyes in thought. "So, he's back, is that right?

"Master, who is this person?" Vader asked, although he had a feeling he may know already.

"His name is Atha Prime, self-proclaimed ruler of dark worlds. You would know him as Zeta Magnus, after you, as Skywalker, had deposed him long ago, he had disappeared into the unknown regions. One of the things I had tasked Grand Admiral Thrawn to do was to find him and destroy him, however it seems that he had eluded Thrawn. Stay where you are, I am coming with you to finish this." Palpatine said, as the hologram faded.

"Yes, master," Vader said. Standing, Vader reached for his personal comm unit, pressing the activation button, "Admiral Piett, tell the fleet to hold position. The Emperor is going to be joining us for this battle.

"Yes, my lord." Admiral Piett responded.

_A few hours passed, _

Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor, watching out the viewport as several ISDs and two Interdictor cruisers came out of hyperspace.

"The Emperor's fleet has arrived, prepare a welcoming party." Vader commanded as he started to walk off the bridge.

Down in the hanger, Vader walked down the ranks of his personal legion, the 501st, and watched as Palpatine's shuttle landed. The ramp descended, and the Royal Guard complement walked down, along with several Shadow Guards, to Vader's mild shock, and even Grand Admiral Thrawn himself came aboard, Vader kneeled as the Emperor descended the ramp. "Rise, Lord Vader, we have work to do." The three of them made their way to the bridge, Vader and Thrawn both slightly nodding their heads at the other in a sign of mutual respect for the other.

**So I intended this as a oneshot, but I now realize that it would be better as a two chapter at the very least. I hope you enjoyed this beginning to this somewhat random idea I had. **

**The Emperor is out. Peace.**


End file.
